1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to audio/video content and in particular, access to audio/video content via a network. More particularly, the present invention relates to distributing audio/video content on the Internet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many web sites on the Internet are referred to as content providers. Content is a general term that refers to music, movies, games on-line books, information, audio/video, etc. A content provider is generally, a company that supplies content to the Internet. The content carrier is the communications providers or the transmission medium by which the content is moved from the content provider to a user.
The Internet has become an integral part in the way in which content is delivered to end users. For example, newspapers, magazines, television and cable networks have web sites that are increasingly being used to deliver content. Content is delivered by on-line content providers which include, for example, web sites and on-line service providers such as AOL™.
Content is accessed by end users via on-line access devices. The on-line access device most often used currently is the personal computer. However, non-personal-computer on-line access devices are being, and have been, developed that enable end users to connect to the Internet. For example, one type of non-personal-computer on-line access device is a web television. Another is a special cell phone that has web navigating capabilities. Still another is a laptop computer that has a wireless modem.
A problem that is common to all the devices is the problem of the content itself. There is only one way to transmit content to a user, and that is to send via the Internet, a beginning, middle and ending of a single presentation—all specified by the content supplier. There are web sites that a user may participate by chatting and maybe voting about a single presentation. There are web sites, usually search engine sites such as Yahoo™, MSN™, Go.com™, that provide particular addresses and “channels” for transmitting content. At present, there is no ability for a user to manipulate content of the presentation so that the content is tailored to an individual user's desires.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a system and method that would allow individual manipulation of content via a network or the Internet.